Brick and tile cutting machine.



D. BROWN. BRICK AND TILE CUTTING MACHINE.

APPucAnoN map DEC- 18. m2.

1,166,409. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

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BRICK AND TILE CUTTING MACHINE. 7

APPLICATION mm 02c. 18. m2,

' Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

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DAVIS BROWN, or BUCYRUS, OHIO, AssIGNoRmo AMERICAN CLAY COMPANY, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

BRICKAND TILE CUTTINGJVIACHINE. 7

To aZZwhom it may concern: l

Be'it known that I, DAVIS BROWN, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of Bucyrus, county of Crawford, 'State of Ohio, have invented an Improvement in Brick and Tile Cutting Machines, of which the following description, in' connection with the accompanying drawings,-is a speci;

fication, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to brick and tile cutting machines and more particularly to j the wire cutting reel therefor. I

In machines to cut clay into uniform thicknesses or lengths, of the type shown in the patent to W. R. 'Cunningham, No.

vide means to hold each cutting wire under.

a yielding tension which will be capable of adjustment to increase the 'tensioneXerted I on each wire independently of that on the other wires and reels; and to provide wire holding devices on which the cutting wiresmay be quickly attached when wornout or broken. 7

Further objects of the invention, novel combinations of parts and details of construction will be hereinafter more distinctly pointed out and claimed.-

Referring to the drawings, wherein 'a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated as applied to a machine such as is shown in the Cunningham patent above referred to, Figure 1 is a view, in elevation, of the reel holding the cutting wires; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view,- partly in cross section, of the novel wire ring on ,the centralv shaft of the reel and of the self-gripping wire holder on each of the bars; Fig, 3 is a cross sectional view-transversely ofthe longitudi nal shaft and wire bars; and Fig. tis a'view showing the mounting for the wire holding reel.

The usual longitudinal shaftof a brick H p i so that the outer end'carrying the boss 25 1s" and tile cutting machine of the type illus- Specification'of Letters Patent.

trated in the Cunningham patentis shown at 1, which shaft is mounted in suitable bearings so that it may slide longitudinally therein, one of said bearings 2 being on a bracket 3, formed on a suitable pedestal 4i.

MACHINERY 1 Patented Dec. 28,, 1915.

Application filed December 18, 1912. Serial No. 737,396. Y

The Wire carrying reel comprises a rim or wheel 5 mounted concentrically with the longitudinal shaft 1 and having an internal flange 5 arranged to run on grooved wheels 6 carried by a spider 7 secured to the shaft.

The rim 5 has peripheral gearteeth 8 arranged to be in mesh with a correspondingly geared pinion or drum 9, which drum is I, suitablyactuated by a gear 10 carried by a shaft connected. withthesource of power (not shown) of the machine. The pinion 9 is of sufiicient length so that as the longitudinal' shaft 1 is reciprocated lengthwise in its bearings'carrying the spider 7 and rim 5 with'it, the teeth 8 of the rim 5 will at all times be in mesh with the pinion .9,

and be actuated thereby. Bigidly secured to the longitudinal shaft 1 are aplurality of split hangers 11, suitably clamped about said shaft, eliminating the'use of set screws or the like, as in former constructions, and

carrying the usual push boards 12 and platens 13. These push boardsand platens are of the usual width'for the thickness offlthe clay desired tobe cut, the push boards be ing formed "rigid with'the hangersll, and; the platens being suitably bolted thereto by bolts 14, as shown in Fig. 3.

from the forming die in the usual manner,

These platens supportand carry thecolumn of I and as shown in said patent, the ofi=bear1ng belt being shown at16. I

Instead of the ordinary wire ring to'en circle the longitudinal shaftl and to hold .the inner ends of the cutting wires. I-em-I ploy a novelform of holder,comprisinga l collar formed in two parts 17 and 18, each part having suitable cars 19 through whichfl bolts 20 pass to secure the collar about the shaft 1, so that said collar may turn freely I upon the shaft. Secured to each of the col-' larfsections 17 and 18 are projecting lugs 21 a wire engaging 11001524 and at the ot'her;

:in which are pivoted at 22 short levers23. 7

.These levers are provided at one end with 7 end with a boss 25 to'receive the encircling i end portion of a coiledspring 26. Each leVEr 23. is preferably of a suitable length cutting Wire 29is held in a true position veni'ently be made of suflicient length so that] its projecting portion 27 will act to. engage and hold the lower end of the spring 26, as

clearly shown in Fig. 3. The construction l just described is similar for each of the lev ers 23, the wire carrying end being preferably shorter than that engaged by the spring 26, so that a considerable leverage may be secured on' the hook end and a comparatively light spring be employed. This arrangement also permits the path of movement of the wire carrying hook to be concentric with the axis of the shaft 1, around which the collars are freely rotated by the action of the cutting wires. The collars 17 and hangers 11 are of appropriate width so that the hooked ends 2% ofthe levers 23 will be in proper intermediate position to lead the cutting Wires through the spaces left between the push boardslEZ and platens 13, as will be readily understood. Y

The rim 5. has threaded sockets about its periphery, to carry wire bars 28, each bar being suitably threaded to fit such sockets, as indicated in Fig. 2. A plurality of these Wire bars consistent with the actionof the cuttingreel may be carried, two such bars being herein shown. These bars are arrangedto carry the outer ends of the cutting Wires 29. 'As the Wire holding means upon thebars 28 are identical, a description of-onewill be sufficient for all. The bar 28 is of sufficient and appropriate length to carry as many cutting Wires 29 as may be suitable for the machine in Which they are employed. The wire holding means comprises aWire ring, sleeve, or clutch 30, having formed on the outer side thereof a plurality of wire engaging hooks 31, said hooks being formed substantially in the same plane and at appropriate points around the cir cumference of the sleeve 30. Adjacent to the se ve r al Wire holding hooks 31 is formed a continuousgroove 32 in the periphery of the sleeve 30. so that as the looped end of a cutting wire 29 is looped ,overany oneof the hooks 31., andthe holding clutch 301:;rotate d to tighten the Wire, said w re will lead into the adjacent groove 32, and therefore hold said wire ata uniform pull ingpo'sition on the clutch 30. This groove is in the same. vertical plane With that of thefcorresponding lever 23 and thereby the so that as the rim 5 is rotated and the bars 28 are rotated with it, each cuttingwire 29 Will be swung successively through the corresponding openings between the push boards and platens to cut thecolumn 15 of clay. Thev several clutch members 30are held. apart in. proper spaced relation correspondingwith that of the passagesbetween the push boards andplatens 12 and 13, by

'neans of loose sleeves 33; mounted on each )ar between the wire holding clutches 30. hese wire holding clutches are. preferably M formed that they may be easily and read- ;ily rotated in one direction only, and to catch or hold automatically against movement in a reverse direction at any point. Preferably I employ a suitable form of Horton clutch, cutting a plurality of planes 34 directly in the bar 28 and fitting therein suitable rollers 29. These planes are so formedthat as the clutch 30 is rotated from left to right, viewing Fig. 3, the rollers 29.will be moved toward the deeper part ofthe planes and thus afiord a clearance for the clutch 30, while any movement of the member 30 in reverse direction will at once catch and bind the rollers 29in thenarrow portion of the, planes 34 in a Wellknown manner. In order to hold the. rollers 35 in proper lengthwise. relation, I preferto form each wireholding. clutch'3OW ith an inwardly extending flange 36, which prevents therollers 35 from moving in onedirection, While the spacing sleeves. 33 will prevent said rollers inovingin the reverse direction, the. inner diameter of the clutch 30 being sufficient toafford a substantial clearance over the diameter. of the bar 28, and the thickness of the spacing sleeves 33 being greaterthan the eiitentfof clearance just mentioned, so that. the entire clutcharrangee ment on. each barl is closed; and protected The operation of thewireholding device is simple. and"efiicient. The Wiresf29 are usually provided of approximately correct length for the distance between the wire holder on thefshaft 1 and the bar 28 and each end of the wire is provided with loops 37, 88. One loop beingcaught-overthehook end 24 of a leve'r 23 and the other loop 38 is caught over any one ofthe hooks 31 on theclutch 30, corresponding in position to that of the lever 23 just mentioned. The clutch 30 is rotated by the operator from left to right to tighten the Wire 29 and to render it tautol' tightly stretched between the lever 23, and the hook 31 on which it is caught. Assoon as the wire is stretched tight, the outer end of the lever 23 will compress the spring 26 and aispring tension will thus be put upon theWire. Any degree Of 1 61 es j fe i n. he. m t. 0 6.c mpression of the spring 26 may be putupon the wire 29 by continued tightening manipulation of the 'clutchBQ, therolls 35of said clutch instantly holding it in the position to which ithas been rotated as soon as recorne slackenedv in the operation of-the mawires, should the operator tighten the re-' spective clutches 80 to a different degree, yet the springs 26 will always exert a substantially equal tension upon the wires, within a reasonable limit of compression. It will be understood that in the operation of the cutting reel a further tension is exerted upon the wires 29 as the bars 28 are carried along by the rim 5, the wires 29 will be the means of pulling or dragging the collars 17 and 18 around the longitudinal shaft 1,

so that a somewhat increased tension will be exerted. In order to-hold the various rings 30 and spacing sleeves 33 on each wire bar 29 a washer 4:0 is provided on the outer end of each wire bar, which may be clamped to the bar by a headed screw 41 threaded into a correspondingly threaded socket in the outer end of the iron bar.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a Wire holder for this type of cutting reel which constantly exerts a spring tension upon the cutting wire and which is capable of a quick adjustment of such tension on any Wire, individually and independently. Also suitable means, in the form of the groove 32, is provided whereby the wire 29 is always led from the same relative position on the ring or clutch 30, irrespective of the rotation of said ring to tighten the wire and increase the tension thereon. The construction whereby a self-gripping Wire holder or clutch is provided, to automatically hold the wire in whatever position it may have been adjusted by the operator, is a specialfeature of great practical importance. I

have also provided an eflicient form of hang:

ers for the push boards and platens, obviating the former necessity for the use of set screws or the like, and clamping the hangers on to the longitudinal shaft solidly and rigidly at the same time they are assembled on to the shaft.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a brick and tile cutting machine, a plurality of cutting Wires to cut a stream of brick material, means to hold said wires under tension, comprising spring holding means for one end of the wire, an adjustable clutch rotatable on a supporting spindle for the other end of the wire, said clutch havinga plurality of selective wire engaging devices thereon, and means cooperative with each of said wire engaging devices tohold the Wire in the same relative position, irrespective of the adjustment of said clutch, by rotation about its spindle.

2. In a brick and tile cutting machine, a cutting reel carrying a plurality of cutting wires, said reel comprising a wheel mounted concentrically with a longitudinal shaft, a wire bar secured to the Wheel near its rim and extending parallel with the longitudinal shaft, means to hold one end of each wire upon the longitudinal shaft, means to hold the other end of each wire on the wire bar, comprising a sleeve rotatable on said bar, and automatic means permitting the sleeve to be rotatedin one direction to tighten the tension on the wire and to prevent its rotation in the reverse direction,while maintaining said wire constantly in the same radial.

position. 7

3. In a brick and tile cutting machine, a

cutting reel carrying a plurality of cutting wires,- said reel comprising a wheel mounted concentrically with a longitudinal shaft, a wire bar secured to the Wheel'near its rim and extending parallel with the longitudinal shaft, means to hold one end of each wire upon the longitudinal shaft, means to hold the other end of'each wire on the wire bar, comprising a sleeve rotatable on said bar, said sleeve having a plurality of wire engaging devices and a groove adjacent each device to hold the wire in the same relative position on the sleeve, irrespective of which wire engaging device the wire is secured to. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence ofv Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent:

Washington, D. G. 

